Paradox
by by7the7sea
Summary: Cara actually sees John for the first time since he regained his powers and lost his memory. She and Jedikiah discuss what has happened to John. This story takes place after the finale.


Paradox

Author's Note: Telepathy is indicated as: ~ text ~

It was a beautiful day in Central Park. It seemed like most of New York was there enjoying the spring-like weather. Even Jedikiah and John were glad to get out of their new offices.

Actually, John had encouraged Jed to join him in a jog around the park, goading him into it by telling him he had let himself go a bit since they got back from Washington. As they jog around the park, John holds back a bit, not wanting to wear out Jed too quickly.

"Not bad, old man," John teased. "Let me know if you need a break."

"Don't worry about me," Jedikiah replied. "Just make sure you don't run anybody over. We don't want to cause a scene."

**'The Refuge' (aka former Ultra HQ)**

Cara and Stephen have been working out a new plan to help all the breakouts arriving when she suddenly gets a flash of John jogging.

"Now if we want to make sure everybody is comfortable," Stephen was saying when Cara slightly jumped when the image hit her. "Cara, what's the matter?"

"It's John," she replied, standing up and walking to the windows. "I felt him again ... he's close."

"Where is ...?" was all Stephen could say before she teleported out. "Okay, then." Sensing this was something she needed to do by herself, Stephen went back to looking over their plans.

**An alley a couple of blocks from Central Park**

Cara appears out of thin air, checks to make sure she wasn't spotted (she wasn't) then walks towards Central Park searching for a familiar face.

She calls out to him telepathically. The sensation of trying to reach him again, stops her for a second. It wasn't supposed to be possible for a TP stripped of their powers to regain them. Is it really John or a figment of her imagination not wanting to let him go? Then she saw him jog past ... he looked different, but it was him. She started to go to him when she saw Jedikiah ... jogging a few steps behind him. That stopped her in her tracks. What was he doing there?

~ John, it's me. ~

John stopped in his tracks and looked around, slightly confused. Jedikiah almost ran into John but then instantly realized what had happened when he saw John's face.

"What's wrong, John? Who's contacting you?" As Jedikiah walked over to John, he scanned the area and spotted Cara. Cara was still staring at John, feeling his confusion. She was torn between running to him and contacting Stephen for help.

"I don't know, but they seem to think I should know them." John looked at Jedikiah. "The voice doesn't sound familiar at all."

"Maybe it's a 'wrong number'," Jedikiah joked trying to distract John. "Why don't you take another lap, while I take a breather."

John hesitated, but when he didn't hear the voice again, decided to do what Jedikiah suggested. "Okay, I won't be long." Then he started off again.

Jedikiah walked to the side and tried to blend in with the crowd, all the while keeping an eye on Cara.

Cara decided to try and intercept John again. As she started to walk toward him, Jedikiah stopped her in her tracks.

"Hello, Cara." Jedikiah stood in front of her, blocking her view of John.

Startled, Cara said, "what's wrong with John?"

Turning to look at John, who was jogging a bit faster than he was with Jedikiah, "Nothing. He's never been better."

"That's not true. He's different. How did he get his powers back? Why doesn't he know me?"

"Well, Cara, the world is a strange and wonderful place ..."

"You did this to him ... how? Why?" Cara interrupted what was sure to be a line of bull she didn't have time for.

"After all that I have put him through, I owed it to him to give back what he lost. I also needed to do it so Roger could live on through John. The best of both worlds, John gets powers again and the best part of Roger survives as well."

"What? You ... how could you?" She was disgusted at the thought, then turned back to the more pressing issue. "You still haven't told me why he doesn't recognize me."

"Ah, well, that was a side effect to having his powers restored. He didn't remember much of anything until I filled him in. Sorry, just didn't have time to get him caught up on your rocky past. The best I could do was what I already had on hand, some pictures and home movies."

"Did that include _everything_?" Cara could guess the answer, but still felt compelled to ask.

"Well, maybe not everything," he hedged. "Again, I owed it to him to make up for what Roger and I put him through. So some of the more ... shall we say _unsavory details_ are missing. He's never been happier." Jedikiah was practically beaming.

"He still seems off. How can you do this to him? He needs to know and understand what he's been through, what made him who he is ... or was."

"All he needs to know is what I tell him!" Jedikiah had raised his voice, but calmed down and said. "Anything more will just complicate the situation. We have a purpose and he's happy. What more could you ask for John?"

Cara heard the absolute truth and power in his statement but also sensed the joy Jedikiah had at being able to work with John again, to have John back in his life. Jedikiah had his family back. John did seem happier than she'd ever seen him, but there was a hollowness to it, a void.

"Oh, Cara. I never got around to thanking you and Stephen for helping bringing down Ultra," Jedikiah said with a bit of condescension in his voice. "I never would have been able to start over if you hadn't done that. Well that and destroying the machine to save all mankind was very noble. John and I ... all humans really ... owe you our lives."

"It was the right thing to do," Cara responded defiantly.

"Yes, yes it was." Jedikiah smirked.

John was just making his way back to Jedikiah, when Cara turned to leave and ran straight into him.

"I'm sorry," she said looking away from him trying to regain her balance. "I wasn't paying attention to where I was going."

"That's okay," John replied, as he helped steady her. "No harm, no foul. My name is John." He extended his hand.

"I ... " she wanted to respond with I know, but saw the lack of recognition in his eyes. "I'm Cara. Nice to meet you." Slowly she reached out and shook his hand, trying to get a sense of him through the brief contact. There wasn't much to find. It almost seemed like he was a blank slate.

"Hello, Cara," John smiled, then looked over to Jedikiah. "Well, Jed, shouldn't we be getting back?"

She had to admit, he didn't seem to have the weight of responsibility on his shoulders that loomed over him for however long she had known him. If for not how he reached this state, she might be happy for him. That he had found a kind of peace he didn't have before.

Jedikiah looked at his watch and agreed. "Yes, this took a lot longer than we had scheduled. We better hurry up or we will miss our next meeting." Turning to look at Cara, "Cara ... it is Cara, right? ... please excuse my colleague and I as we have urgent business to attend to. Good day."

As John and Jedikiah walked away, Cara took a moment to just watch them leave. Tempted to try to reach John telepathically again, she decided against it. She needed to get back and let Stephen know what happened. They will just have to figure out another way to reach him ... to rescue him.

Once they turned a corner, John whispered to Jedikiah, "Well, that makes one of our tasks a bit easier," John looked back to watch Cara leave. "Should I follow her?"

"No, John," Jedikiah said, "not just yet. We will get another chance to recruit her."


End file.
